Untitled

Otautau Standard and Wallace County Chronicle, Volume XXVI, Issue 1283, 2 September 1930, Page 3

knew him as a most- pleasaht-natured man. Mr Coombes was a most excitable man. James Poole said he was a neighboui of both and knew Mr Coombes was of an excitable nature. Mr Mclntosu was a good neighbour ~ and he had • never seen him in a rage. Charles Officer gave evidence of a conversation he had with plaintiff a few hours after the trouble, when the latter had stated he had had • „ difference with. Mr Mcintosh over a fire, they had struggled, and the slasher slipping between them had struck the plaintiff's head, but it had not been done intentionally. / There was no mention of blows being- struck. Mr Alex Saunders, an adjoining- farmer, said tussocks were valubale iui rough feed and shelter and fire couio do considerable damage if it got away. He had found Mr Mcintosh a gooa neighbour and he could not think of him using a slasher. This closed the case. His Worship said that under the Justices of the Peace. Act, defendant had no . right on plaintiff's propert) , and his int erf erance had caused" the aftermath of a struggle for the slasher and blows to be exchanged. His con- • elusion was that defendant was the aggressor, he having no right where n& was. It' was unthinkable that he went with malice,, because had it been so, he wo uld undoubtedly have been charged with a more serious offence. In allowing plaintiff damages and costs £5 2/-, the Magistrate ordered defendant to enter, into his own bond of £100 as surety\.to keep the peace for twelve months.